Lambda Legal mourns the passing of Michael Seltzer, a transformative leader in the fight for LGBTQ+ equality and AIDS advocacy.
In 1981, Seltzer became co-chair of Lambda Legal’s board of directors. His leadership during this critical period helped steer the organization through the emerging AIDS crisis.
“We have lost a dear friend and visionary leader,” said Lambda Legal CEO Kevin Jennings. “Michael’s passion and dedication touched countless lives, and his loss leaves a profound void in our community. His legacy of love, courage, and unwavering commitment to justice will continue to inspire us.”
Beyond his service as co-chair of the board of Lambda Legal, Seltzer founded and served as the first executive director of Funders Concerned About AIDS and co-founded Funders for LGBTQ Issues with Katherine Acey.
“In a time when most LGBTQ+ philanthropy professionals were in the closet, Michael was out and proud,” Jennings added. “In the 80’s and 90’s, mainstream philanthropy simply did not prioritize LGBTQ+ people or those living with HIV, and Michael wouldn’t accept that. He spent decades agitating to change priorities in the sector and hundreds of millions of dollars flowed into organizations serving our communities as a result.”
Seltzer served as a program officer at the Ford Foundation, became president of Philanthropy New York in the early 2000s, and founded the Leadership Fellows Program at Baruch College with support from the New York Community Trust. He also served as co-chair of the board of New York’s LGBT Community Center with the late Janet Weinberg.
Seltzer was also an accomplished author, having written ‘Securing Your Organization’s Future’ in 1987, with an updated edition published in 2002 – a work he took great pride in throughout his career.
A native New Yorker and longtime resident of Fire Island Pines, Seltzer leaves behind a legacy of transformative advocacy and philanthropic leadership.